Tom Werkmeister leads Michigan Amateur

Tom Werkmeister, winner of the Michigan Open played at Cherry Creek in Washington Township last week, took the lead at the Michigan Amateur in Muskegon Tuesday. He's a graduate of Mott High School in Warren.

The 45-year-old internet salesman from Kentwood is a graduate of Mott High School in Warren. Last week he became the first amateur to win the Michigan Open in 38 years by leading the field at The Orchards in Washington Township.

On Tuesday, Werkmeister made an eagle-3 on the par 5 18th hole at Muskegon Country Club to claim the first-round lead in the 102nd Michigan Amateur Championship sponsored by Miles of Golf/Kendall Academy/Titleist.

His 2-under-par 70 in the winds off Lake Michigan gave him a one-shot lead on four golfers heading into Wednesday’s second and final round of stroke play that will determine the 64 golfers who start match play on Thursday. Single-elimination matches through Saturday will determine a champion.

A group of 10 golfers at 72 included Brad Bastion of Clinton Township and Muskegon CC member Reed Hrynewich, an 18-year-old headed to the University of Michigan on a golf scholarship. Russ Cunningham of DeWitt, the Golf Association of Michigan Player of the Decade in the 2000s and the golf coach at Oakland University, was among those at 73.

Werkmeister, the 2009 Michigan Amateur champion at Spring Meadows in Linden, and runner-up last year at Oakland Hills, said he was concerned he might have a letdown coming off his dramatic win last week. He hit shots into the heather that lines the fairways on the first two holes, and his ball was stymied behind a tree on the third hole.

“And somehow I made all pars,” he said. “That was a comforting because I hit some really weird shots.”

Werkmeister said he figured out his swing and played solid on the back nine, saving his only made long putt for the last hole following a drive and then 258-yard 3-wood shot to 12-feet from the cup.

“It was the longest putt we made all day in our group, which probably happened a lot today because the greens were pretty tricky,” he said.

Several golfers cited tricky greens and the winds as they came off the course.

Pahl, playing in his first Michigan Amateur and a senior-to-be at Lakeland High School, said the greens are the challenge at Muskegon CC.

“There are some scary pin positions they can have, and there are some big breakers you have to play,” he said. “And the downhill putts. You just have to touch them and hope they don’t roll too far past.”

In addition to being the fifth amateur to ever win the Michigan Open, Werkmeister is just the fifth golfer to ever win both an Amateur and Open title. The others in that elite group are Chuck Kocsis, Randy Erskine, Lynn Janson and Ryan Brehm. No golfer has ever won both titles in the same year.

Werkmeister hopes to make more news as stroke play medalist after the second round.

“Before I even teed off today (medalist) was the goal,” he said. “I will maintain that goal tomorrow and see what happens.”

Defending champion Drew Preston of Grand Rapids is not in the field, but he was on the course serving as a caddie for Jared Dalga of Grand Rapids. Dalga shot 76. Preston turned professional for this golf season.

Bill Zylstra of Dearborn Heights, the oldest player in the field at age 61, opened with a 74. James Piot of Canton, the youngest player in the field at 14, opened with a 78.